Bills build on Welch’s WEATHER Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today introduced the Natural Disaster Education and Outreach Act and the State Climate Assessment Act, bills that would improve state-level climate research and public education campaigns to boost local resilience, recovery, and response to climate-driven extreme weather events. Senator Welch’s legislation will help communities better understand and identify the risks posed by extreme weather and provide state and local officials, small business owners, farmers, and homeowners with crucial information to adapt and respond to ongoing disasters.
Both bills build upon Senator Welch’s legislation to develop an index-based insurance policy that is more responsive to crop and income losses faced by farmers as the result of extreme weather—the Withstanding Extreme Agricultural Threats by Harvesting Economic Resilience (WEATHER) Act.
The Natural Disaster Education and Outreach Act is cosponsored by Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) and would direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to establish a program that would communicate patterns in changing weather to the public. This program’s mission would focus on providing communities and local governments with cutting-edge services to assist with crucial decisions about resource allocation and emergency preparedness before a disaster occurs.
The State Climate Assessment Act is cosponsored by Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and would facilitate information sharing between Federal experts at NOAA and states to conduct voluntary climate assessments to better mitigate the impacts of climate change in both the near- and long-term. The legislation also directs NOAA to offer technical support for states to analyze the effects of climate change on the natural environment and resources, agriculture, energy systems, transportation, and human health.
“The impacts of extreme weather events—lives lost, families displaced from their homes, forced closure of small businesses—are felt for years after disaster strikes. We’ve seen it in Vermont with brutal back-to-back floods. As climate change worsens, ensuring communities have every resource they need to prepare and adapt to extreme weather events is crucial,” said Senator Welch. “These bills will help communities access and better understand the unique risks posed by a changing climate.”
“Georgia communities have been devastated by hurricanes and other extreme weather events in recent years, and these storms are only expected to become stronger and more frequent, making it critical we use every tool at our disposal to be better prepared and informed to save lives and protect communities,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “The Natural Disaster Education and Outreach Act would provide local governments with the services needed to strengthen emergency preparedness and better educate the public about shifting weather patterns. I’ll continue working with Senator Welch to get this done and keep Georgians safe.”
“As the impacts of the climate crisis increase in frequency and severity, it is crucial that states have the resources, information, and capacity to prepare for, mitigate, and respond to climate disasters. The State Climate Assessment Act would provide critical federal support for state agencies in their efforts to plan for the future,” said Senator Markey.
In recent years, extreme weather events—like Vermont’s catastrophic flooding—have inflicted a heavy toll on communities across the country. In 2023, NOAA reported that the U.S. experienced 28 disasters causing more than $1 billion in damage, a historic high. In total, the price tag of recovering from these disasters is estimated to be at least $92.9 billion. While federal agencies such as NOAA collect massive amounts of data and weather observations, state and local governments rarely see it—leaving them un-prepared and at-risk of greater damage from extreme weather.
The Fifth National Climate Assessment shares cutting-edge climate research on topics ranging from agriculture and transportation to public health and the economy. While this report provides valuable information about how climate change will affect our nation, some states, including Vermont and Massachusetts, have performed their own climate assessments. These assessments apply the latest in climate science and can also help state and local leaders understand the unique impacts of climate change to their communities. These assessments will also give communities insight into the impact of natural disasters on their economies and weather-dependent industries, such as agriculture, including how to better prepare and recover from future extreme weather events
Learn more about the Natural Disaster Education and Outreach Act and read the full text of the bill.
Learn more about the State Climate Assessment Act and read the full text of the bill.
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